WAR IN THE EAST

Synopsis

An explanation of the background to the War in the Far East and of its probable strategic development, founded entirely on a commentary illustrated by film of a large map of the Pacific on which points are demonstrated, occasionally by animation, more usually by a man working in front of the camera.

Background: Japan's economic motivations for aggressions (of which Pearl Harbor "was not the first"); the strategic situation in the Pacific, bases and outposts: Japan's…

An explanation of the background to the War in the Far East and of its probable strategic development, founded entirely on a commentary illustrated by film of a large map of the Pacific on which points are demonstrated, occasionally by animation, more usually by a man working in front of the camera.

Background: Japan's economic motivations for aggressions (of which Pearl Harbor "was not the first"); the strategic situation in the Pacific, bases and outposts: Japan's dependence on imported raw materials, the blocking of which in 1941, following the invasion of Indo-China, led into the war. The likely course of the war: blockade by the Allies with the advantages of strong bases (especially Singapore) but hampered by their remoteness from home and each other; Japan (believed to have stockpiled a year's war material) will seek to counter-blockade and to break the Allied blockade; the consequent importance to the Allies of Chinese resistance (supported by the Burma Road) holding down Japanese troops; hopeful mention of Russian presence in Vladivostok.

Notes

Remarks: the primitive technique works surprisingly well in this interesting and reasonably accurate forecast; only the hope for Russian aid and the confidence in Singapore really provide grounds for critical hindsight. Compare "Alert in the East" (COI 122).

Countries

Production Organisations

The Colonial Film website is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and features films from the British Film Institute, the Imperial War Museum, and the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum.